Abstract:
The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of the interactions between glaciers and their permafrost beds that will permit models of glaciers to realistically parameterise ice motion. Improvement of such models is central to their success in predicting glacier response to climate change. A multifaceted investigation of the hydrology, sedimentology, geochemistry and deformation of ... proglacial and subglacial permafrost at the margins and beneath cold-based glaciers was investigated at the margins of the Joyce, Garwood and Hobbs Glaciers. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys of the Joyce, Garwood and Hobbs Glaciers basal zones and moraine was completed. Samples of ice from the basal zones of the Joyce, Garwood and Hobbs glaciers together with ground ice from the upper Garwood Valley was collected and returned to New Zealand for isotopic and solute composition analysis of the ice. Meteorological stations were installed on both the Joyce and Garwood Glaciers to allow detailed examination of the radiation inputs into the glacial system. A stream gauging station was installed on an unnamed stream draining the Joyce Glacier. The gauging station was fitted with a ultra-sonic stage sensor, an electrical conductivity sensor and a turbidimeter to monitor suspended sediment transfer. Sampling frequency was every 5 minutes, averaged every 15 minutes. Hydrochemistry samples for ionic concentration were collected daily from three locations on Holland Stream. Alkalinity and pH were also measured.